YALE HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS 

A Journey to Ohio 
in 1810 



Margaret Van Horn Dwight 



YALE UNIVEii^TTY PRESS 




Class E 

Book 

CopyiightN°_ 






COa'RIGHT DEPOSn^ 



^w 



YALE 
HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS 

I 

published unuer the direction of the 

Department of History 

from the income of 

THE FREDERICK JOHN KINGSBURY 
MEMORIAL FUND 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 
IN 1810 



As Rf.corded in the Journal 

OF 

MARGARET VAN HORN DWIGHT Q^^ 



Edited with an Introduction 

BY 

Max Farrand 




NEW HAVEN 

YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS 

1912 






Copyright, 1912, 

BY 

Yale University Press 



First printed September, six hundred copies 



ICI.A328157 



k^\, / 



INTRODUCTION 

"If It be true that good wine needs no bush, 'tis 
true that a good play needs no epilogue;" and Rosa- 
lind might well have added that a good story needs 
no prologue. The present journal is complete in it- 
self, and it is such a perfect gem, that it seems a pity 
to mar its beauty by giving it any but the simplest 
setting. There are many readers, however, with 
enough human interest to wish to know who Rosa- 
lind really was, and to be assured that she "married 
and lived happily ever after," That is the reason 
for this introduction. 

Margaret Van Horn Dwight was born on Decem- 
ber 29, 1790. She was the daughter of Doctor 
Maurice William Dwight, a brother of President 
Timothy Dwight of Yale, and Margaret (DeWitt) 
Dwight. The death of her father in 1796, and the 
subsequent marriage of her mother, was probably 
the reason for Margaret Dwight being taken by her 
grandmother, Mary Edwards Dwight, a daughter of 
Jonathan Edwards, who trained her as her own child 
in her family in Northampton. The death of her 
grandmother, February 7, 1807, was the occasion of 
her going to live in New Haven in the family of her 
aunt, Mary Edwards Dwight, who had married 
William Walton Woolsey, and whose son was Presi- 
dent Theodore Woolsey. 

Three years later, in 18 10, Margaret Dwight left 
New Haven to go to her cousins in Warren, Ohio. 

[v] 



INTRODUCTION 

It was doubtless there that she met Mr. Bell, whom 
she married, December 17, 181 1, a year after her 
arrival. William Bell, Jr., was born in Ireland, 
February 11, 178 1, and after 18 15 he was a whole- 
sale merchant In Pittsburgh. 

The family genealogy formally records that Mar- 
garet Dwight Bell became the mother of thirteen 
children, that she died on October 9, 1834, and that 
she was "a lady of remarkable sweetness and excel- 
lence, and devotedly religious." Family tradition 
adds a personal touch in relating that her home was 
a center of hospitality and that she herself was active 
and very vivacious. 

The journal of the rough wagon trip to Ohio in 
1 8 10 was evidently kept by Margaret Dwight in 
fulfilment of a promise to her cousin, Elizabeth 
Woolsey, to whom it was sent as soon as the journey 
was over. A good many years later the journal was 
given to a son of the author, and the original Is now 
in the possession of a granddaughter, Miss Kath- 
arine Reynolds Wishart of Waterford, Pennsyl- 
vania. It has been well cared for and is in excellent 
condition, except that the first two pages are missing. 
This Is of less Importance from the fact that two 
independent copies had been made. The text of the 
journal here printed is taken from the original manu- 
script, and Is reproduced as accurately as typographi- 
cal devices permit. 

Max Farrand. 



[vl] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 



Milford Friday Eve. at Capt Pond's. 

Shall I commence my journal, my dear Elizabeth, 
with a description of the pain I felt at taking leave 
of all my friends, or shall I leave you to imagine? — 
The afternoon has been spent by me in the most 
painful reflections & in almost total silence by my 
companions- I have thought of a thousand things 
unsaid, a thousand kindnesses unpaid with thanks 
that I ought to have remembered more seasonably; 
and the neglect of which causes me many uneasy 
feelings- my neglecting to take leave of Sally, has 
had the same effect- I hope she did not feel hurt by 
it, for it proceeded from no want of gratitude for 
her kindness to me. I did not imagine parting with 
any friend could be so distressing as I found leaving 
your Mama. I did not know till then, how much I 
loved her & could I at that moment have retraced 
my steps ! but it was too late to repent — Deacon 
Wolcott & his wife are very kind, obliging, people, 
& Miss Wolcott is a very pleasant companion, I do 
not know what I should do without her. \Ve came 
on to Butler's this afternoon & I came immediately 
down to Uncle Pond's & drank tea. Miss W. came 
with me & both Uncle & Aunt invited her to stay and 

[I] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

sleep with me, which she accordingly did. Cousin 
Patty has been with me, to say good bye, to all my 
friends, & to-morrow we proceed to Stamford. 

Sat. night, D. Nash's Inn. Middlesex- 

We had a cold, unsociable ride today, each one of 
us being occupied in thinking of the friends we had 
left behind & of the distance, which was every mo- 
ment increasing, between them & us. Mrs W has 
left an aged father in the last stages of consumption, 
that was a sufficient excuse for silence on her part. 
Mr W. made several attempts to dispel & by kind 
words & phebeish^ looks but without success; he 
appears to be a very fond husband. We stopt to 
eat oats at a Tavern In Fairfield, West Farms, an 
old Lady came Into the room where Miss W. (whose 
name, by the way, is Susan, not Hannah, Sally, or 
Abby) & we were sitting. "Well! Gals where are 
you going?" "To New Connecticut" "You bant 
tho- To New Connecticut? Why what a long jour- 
ney! do you ever expect to get there? How far is 
it?" "Near 600 miles" "Well Gals, you Gals & 
your husbands with you?" "No Ma'am"- "Not got 
your husbands ! Well I don't know- they say there's 
wild Indians there!" The poor woman was then 
call'd out to her daughter (the mistress of the 
house) who she told us has been 111 five months with 
a swelling & she had come that afternoon to see it 



*For the description of the word Phebeish^ the reader is referred to 
Miss Julia. 

[2] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

launch' d by the Physicians who were then In the 
house — She went out but soon return'd & told us 
they were "cutting her poor child all to pieces"- She 
did not know but she should as lleve see a wild 
Indian as to see that scene over again — I felt very 
sorry for the poor old Lady- I could not help smil- 
ing at the comparison. The country we pass thro' 
till we are beyond N. York, I need not describe to 
you, nor indeed could I ; for I am attended by a very 
unpleasant tho' not uncommon, companion- one to 
whom I have bow'd in subjection ever since I left 
you-Prlde — It has entirely prevented my seeing the 
country lest I should be known — You will cry "for 
shame" & so did I but it did no good- I could neither 
shame nor reason it away, & so I suppose It will 
attend me to the mountains, then I am sure It will 
bid me adieu- "for you know the proverb" 'pride 
dwelleth not among the mountains'- I don't cer- 
tainly know where this proverb Is to be found, but 
Julia can tell you- for If I mistake not It is on the 
next page to "There is nothing sweet" &c- I do not 
find It so unpleasant riding In a waggon as I ex- 
pected- nor am I very much fatigued with It- but 
four weeks to ride all the time. Is fatlgueing to think 
of- We came on to Nash's tavern where we found no 
company excepting one gentleman who looks like a 
Dr Susannah (Mr Nash's granddaughter) says he 
is a "particular bit" one who likes good eating & 
a great deal of waiting upon, better than he likes to 
pay for It- Here we stay over the Sabbath. 

[3] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Sunday eve — 

This morning Susannah came & invited us to 
attend meeting- we at first refused but I afterwards 
chang'd my mind, & "took a notion" (as Susannah 
told her friends to whom she did me the honour to 
introduce me) to go- so taking an apple to eat on the 
road we set out for the church- It was "situated on 
an eminence" but was a small old wooden building- 
The minister; who I found was brother to Mr 
Fisher, Susannah told me was not very well liked 
by some "he hadn't so good a gait to deliver his 
sermons as some," but she believ'd he was a very 
serious good man- She then gave me his history but 
I cannot spend time to give it to you — The sermon 
had nothing very striking in it but if I had time I 
would write you the text heads &c just to let you 
see I remember it, though I fear it has done me no 
good for I heard it like a stranger and did not real- 
ize that I was interested in it at all- I was en- 
tirely of Susannah's opinion respecting the preacher, 
for I thought his "gait to deliver" was better than 
his voice, for he has a most terrible ?iasal twang — 
Before we got home at noon, I had found out the 
squire & half the parish, Susannah's history & many 
other interesting things which I have almost for- 
gotten — I saw 4 or 5 well dress'd good looking girls, 
& as many young men answering the first part of 
the description, one of whom was chorister- & an- 
other, from the resemblance he bears them, I imag- 
ine must be brother to Miss Haines or the N York 

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A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Sexton — I went all day to meeting & am now very 
tir'd, for our walk was a very long one, I should 
think almost 2 miles each way which would make 
almost 4 miles for one poor sermon 

October 22- Monday- Cook's inn — 

County West Chester- 

I never will go to New Connecticut with a Deacon 
again, for we put up at every byeplace in the country 
to save expence- It is very grating to my pride to go 
into a tavern & furnish & cook my own provision- to 
ride in a wagon &c &c- but that I can possibly get 
along with- but to be oblig'd to pass the night in such 
a place as we are now in, just because it is a little 
cheaper, is more than I am willing to do- I should 
even rather drink clear rum out of the wooden bottle 
after the deacon has drank & wip'd it over with his 
hand, than to stay here another night — The house 
is very small & very dirty- it serves for a tavern, a 
store, & I should imagine hog's pen stable & every 
thing else- The air is so impure I have scarcely been 
able to swallow since I enter'd the house- The land- 
lady is a fat, dirty, ugly looking creature, yet I must 
confess very obliging- She has a very suspicious coun- 
tenance & I am very afraid of her- She seems to be 
master, as well as mistress & storekeeper, & from the 
great noise she has been making directly under me 
for this half hour, I suspect she has been "stoning 
the raisins & watering the rum"- All the evening 
there has been a store full of noisy drunken fellows, 
yet Mr Wolcott could not be persuaded to bring in 

[5] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

but a small part of the baggage, & has left it In the 
waggon before the door, as handy as possible- Miss 
W's trunk is in the bar-room unlock'd the key being 
broken today- It contains a bag of money of her 
father's, yet she could not persuade him to bring it up 
stairs — I feel so uneasy I cannot sleep & had there- 
fore rather write than not this hour- some one has 
just gone below stairs after being as I suppos'd in 
bed this some time- for what purpose I know not- 
unless to go to our trunks or waggon- the old woman, 
(for it was her who went down,) tells me I must put 

out my candle so good night Tuesday Morn — 

I went to bed last night with fear & trembling, & feel 
truly glad to wake up & find myself alive & well- if 
our property is all safe, we shall have double cause to 
be thankful — The old woman kept walking about 
after I was in bed, & I then heard her in close confab 
with her husband a long time — Our room is just 
large enough to contain a bed a chair & a very small 
stand- our bed has one brown sheet & one pillow- the 
sheet however appear'd to be clean, which was more 
than we got at Nash's- there we were all oblig'd to 
sleep in the same room without curtains or any other 
screen- & our sheets there were so dirty I felt afraid 
to sleep in them- We were not much in favor at our 
first arrival there; but before we left them, they 
appear'd quite to like us- & I don't know why they 
should not, for we were all very clever, notwith- 
standing we rode in a waggon — Mrs Nash said she 
should reckon on't to see us again ( Miss W & me ) so 
I told her that in 3 years she might expect to see me- 

[6] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

She said I should never come back alone, that I would 
certainly be married in a little while- but I am now 
more than ever determin'd not to oblige myself to 
spend my days there, by marrying should I even have 
an opporty — I am oblig'd to write every way so 
you must not wonder at the badness of the writing- I 
am now in bed & writing in my lap- Susan has gone 
to see if our baggage is in order — I hear the old 
woman's voice talking to the good deacon- & an "I 
beg your pardon" comes out at every breath al- 
most — Oh I cannot bear to see her again she is 
such a disgusting object — The men have been 
swearing & laughing in the store under me this 
hour- & the air of my room is so intolerable, that I 
must quit my writing to go in search of some that 
is breathable- I don't know how far I shall be 
oblig'd to go for it- but there is none very near I 
am certain — Having a few moments more to 
spare before we set out, with my book still in my 
lap, I hasten to tell you we found ev^erything per- 
fectly safe, & I believe I wrong'd them all by sus- 
picions — The house by day light looks worse then 
ever- every kind of thing in the room where they 
live- a chicken half pick'd hangs over the door- & 
pots, kettles, dirty dishes, potatoe barrels- & every 
thing else- & the old woman- it is beyond my power 
to describe her- but she & her husband & both very 
kind & obliging- it is as much as a body's life is 
worth to go near them — The air has already had a 
medicinal effect upon me — I feel as if I had taken 
an emetic- & should stay till night I most certainly 

[7] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

should be oblig'd to take my bed, & that would be 
certain death — I did not think I could eat in the 
house- but I did not dare refuse- the good deacon 
nor his wife did not mind it, so I thought I must 
not — The old creature sits by eating, & we are just 
going to my great joy so good bye, good bye till to 
night 

Tuesday Noon- Ferry House near 

State Prison- 
It has been very cold & dusty riding to day — We 
have met with no adventure yet, of any kind — We 
are now waiting at the ferry house to cross the river 
as soon as wind & tide serve- The white waves foam 
terribly how we shall get across I know not, but I 
am in great fear- If we drown there will be an end 
of my journal 

Hobuck, Wednesday Morn- 

Buskirck's Inn — 

After waiting 3 or 4 hours at the ferry house, we 
with great difficulty cross'd the ferry & I, standing 
brac'd against one side of the boat involuntarily 
endeavouring to balance it with my weight & groan- 
ing at every fresh breeze as I watch'd the side which 
almost dipt in the water- & the ferrymen swearing 
at every breath- Mr, Mrs & Miss Wolcott viewing 
the city and vainly wishing they had improv'd the 

time of our delay to take a nearer view At 

length we reach'd this shore almost frozen- The 

[8] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Ferry Is a mile & an half wide — I was too fatigued 
to write last night & soon after we came retired to 
bed- We were again oblig'd all to sleep in one room 
& in dirty sheets- but pass'd the night very comfort- 
ably — If good wishes have any influence, we shall 
reach our journey's end in peace- for we obtain them 
from everyone — The morning is pleasant & we are 

soon to ride M'^ Buskirck the landlady, I should 

imagine is about 60 years of age & she sits by with 
a three year old child in her lap- She wears a long 
ear'd cap & looks so old I thought she must be 
Grandmother till I enquir'd — 

Springfield-New Jersey- Pierson's Inn- 

Wedy-PM 4 oclock- 

"What is every body's business is no body's" for 
instance- it is nobody's business where we are going, 
yet every body enquires- every toll gatherer & child 

that sees us I am almost discouraged- we shall 

never get to New Connecticut or any where else, at 
the rate we go on- We went but eleven miles yester- 
day & I ^ to day — Our Waggon wants repairing & 
we were oblig'd to put up for the night at about 3 

oclock. I think the country so far, much pleas- 

anter than any part of Connecticut we pass'd thro'- 
but the Turnpike roads are not half as good- The 
Deacon & his family complain most bitterly of the 
gates & toll bridges- tho' the former is very good- 
natur'd with his complaints — Also the tavern ex- 
penses are a great trouble- As I said before I will 
never go with a Deacon again- for we go so slow & 

[9] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

so cheap, that I am almost tir'd to death. The 
horses walk, walk hour after hour while M"" W sits 
reckoning his expenses & forgetting to drive till some 
of us ask when we shall get there?- then he remem- 
bers the longer we are on the road the more expen- 
sive it will be, & whips up his horses — and when 
Erastus the son, drives, we go still slower for fear 
of hurting the horses — Since I left you I have con- 
ceived such an aversion for Doctors & the words, 
expense, expensive, cheap & expect, that I do not 
desire ever to see the one (at least to need them) or 
hear the others again, in my life — I have just found 
out that Elizabeth Town is but 5 miles off & have 
been to the landlord to enquire if I cannot possibly 
get there & he encourages me a little, I cannot write 
more till I am certain- Oh if I can but see my 
brother! After a long crying spell, I once more take 
up my pen to tell you I cannot go,- there is no chair 
or side saddle to be got, & I will, by supposing him 
at New York, try to content myself- to describe my 
disappointment would be impossible — it is such an 
agravation of my pain, to know myself so near & 
then not see him — I have the greater part of the 
time till now, felt in better spirits than I expected- 

my journal has been of use to me in that respect 

I did not know but I should meet with the same fate 
that a cousin of M"" Hall's did, who like me, was 
journeying to a new, if not a western country- She 
was married on her way & prevented from proceed- 
ing to her journey's end- There was a man to day 
in Camptown where we stopt to eat, not oats but 

[10] 



i. 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

gingerbread, who enquired, or rat^her expected we 
were going to the Hio- we told him yes & he at 
once concluded it was to get husbands- He said win- 
ter was coming on &. he wanted a wife & believ'd he 
must go there to get him one- I concluded of course 
the next thing would be, a proposal, to Miss W or 
'.me to stay behind to save trouble 'for us both; but 
• .nothing would suit him but a rich widow, so our 
hopes were soon at "an end- Disappointment is the 
••lot of man & we may as well bear them with a good 
grace- this thought restrain-d my tears at that time, 
but has not been able to since — What shall I do? 
', My companions say they shall insist .upon seeing my 
•journal & I certainly will not show it to them, so I 
•.told them I would bring it with me the first time I 
came to Henshaw (the place where they live) & 
■ read it to them; but I shall 'do my utmost to send it 
!to you before I go- that would be a sufficient excuse 
for not performing my promise which must be con- 
ditional — I will not insist upon ypur reading this 
thro' my dear Elizabeth & I suspect by this time you 
feel quite willing to leave it unread further- T wish 
'I could make it more interesting — I write just as I 
feel & think at the moment & I feel as much in haste 
.to write every thing that occurs, as if you could know 
'it the moment it was written- I must now leave you 
to write to my. brother, for if I cannot see him I 
.will at least write him- I. Cannot bear the idea of 
leaving the state without once morq seeing him — I 
hope next to write you from 30 miles hence at least- 
-Poor Susan feels worse to night than me, & Mrs 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Wolcott to cheer us, tells us what we have yet to 
expect- this you may be sure has the desir'd effect & 
raises our spirits at once — 

Friday morn- Chester N J. 

We left Springfield yesterday about nine oclock & 

came on to Chester about 22 miles from Spring^ 

Patience & perseverance will get us to N C in time- 
but I fear we shall winter on our way there, for 
instead of four weeks, I fear we shall be four times 

four We found an excellent tavern here com- 

par'd with any we have yet found, & we had for the 
first time clean sheets to sleep in- We pass'd thro' 
Morristown yesterday, & 3. small villages- one 
called Chatham I do not know the names of the 
others — It is very hilly in N Jersey, & what is very 
strange, we appear almost always to be going up hill, 
but like the squirrel, never rise 2 inches higher- The 
hills look very handsomely at a little distance,- but 

none of them are very high Mr & Mrs Wolcott, 

after telling us every thing dreadful, they could think 
of, began encouraging us by changing sides & relating 
the good as well as the bad- They are sure I shall 
like Warren better than I expect & think I shall 
not regret going in the least The weather yes- 
terday was very pleasant, & is this morning also- We 
wish to reach Easton to day, but I am sure we shall 
not, for it is 32 miles distant- 5 or 600 hundred miles 
appears like a short journey to me now- indeed I 
feel as if I could go almost any distance- My cour- 
age & spirits & both very good — one week is already 

[12] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

gone of the 4 — I wish I could fly back to you a few 
minutes while we are waiting 

Mansfield-N J-Sat-morn October 27- 

We yesterday travell'd the worst road you can 
imagine- over mountains & thro' vallies- We have 
not I believe, had 20 rods of level ground the whole 
day- and the road some part of it so intolerably bad 
on every account, so rocky & so gullied, as to be 
almost impassable- 15 miles this side Morristown, 
we cross'd a mountain call'd Schyler or something 
like it- We walk'd up it, & Mrs W told us it was 
a little like some of the mountains only not half 
so bad — indeed every difficulty we meet with is 
compar'd to something worse that we have yet to 
expect- We found a house built in the heart of the 
mountain near some springs- in a romantic place- 
Whether the springs are medicinal or not, I do not 
know- but I suspect they are, & that the house is 
built for the accommodation of those who go to 
them- for no human creature, I am sure, would wish 
to live there- Opposite the house are stairs on the 
side of the mountain & a small house resembling a 
bathing house, at the head of them — Soon after we 
cross'd the mountain, we took a wrong road, owing 
to the neglect of those whose duty it is to erect guide 
boards, & to some aw^kward directions given — This 
gave us a great deal of trouble, for we were oblig'd 
in order to get right again, to go across a field where 
the stones were so large & so thick that we scarcely 
touch'd the ground the whole distance- At last the 

[13] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO •:' 

road seem'd to -end. in a_ hogs pen, but we found "it- . 
possible to get round it, & once more found ourselves-' 
right again- We met very few people, yet the road., 
seem'd to have been a great deal travelled- One 
young man came along & caus'd us some div^ersion,, 
for he eyed us very closely & then enter'd into con-:' 
versation with Mr W who was walking a little for-, 
ward- He told him he should himself set out next.; 
week for Pittsburg- & we expect to see him again 
before we get there^ Etastus enquir'd the road of 
him & he said we must go the same way he did; so"' 
we follow'd on till we put up for the night; he walk- 
ing his horse all the way & looking back at the wag-'. ' 
gon- As soon as we came to the inn he sat on his 
horse at the door till he saw us all quietly seated in, 
the house & then rode off- Which of us made a con-'-. 

quest I know not, but. I am sure one of us did We ■ 

have pass'd thro' but 2 towns in.N J- but several 
small villages- Dutch valley, between some high hills 
& the Mountain- Batesto.wn, where we stopt to halt- ■ 
& some others- all too small to deserve a name- At; 
last we stopt at Mansfield at an Inn kept by Philip 
fits (a little f). We found it kept by 2 young ' 
women, whom I tixou^t amazoons- for they swore 
& flew about "like witches" they talk & laugh'd 
about their sparks &c &c'fill it made us laugh so as- 
almost to affront. them- There was a young woman- 
visiting them who reminded me of Lady Di Spanker- 
for sprung from the ground to her horse with as. 
much agility as that Lady could have done — They;, 
all took their pipes before tea^ — one of them ap-. 

• [H ] \ : 1 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

pears to be very unhappy- I believe she has a very 
cross husband if she is married- She has a baby 
& a pretty one — Their manners soften'd down 
after a while & the appear to be obliging & good 
natur'd 

Pennsylvania- Saturday eve- 2 miles 

from Bethlehem- Hanover- Oct 27th 

Before I write you anything I will tell you where 
& how we are- We are at a dutch tavern almost 
crazy- In one corner of the room are a set of dutch- 
men talking singin & laughing in dutch so loud, that 
my brain is almost turn'd- they one moment catch up 
a fiddle & I expect soon to be pulled up to dance- I 
am so afraid of them I dare hardly stay in the house 
one night; much less ov^er the sabbath- I cannot 
write so good night — 

Sunday Morn- 

I have hesitated a long time whether I ought to 
write or not, & have at length concluded I may as 
well write as anything else, for I cannot read or 
listen to Deacon W who is reading- for I am almost 
distracted. We have determin'd (or rather NT W 
has & we must do as he says) to spend the Sabbath 
among these wMcked wretches- It would not be 
against my conscience to ride to day rather than stay 
here, for we can do no good & get none- & how much 
harm they may do us I know not- but they look as 
if they had sufficient inclination to do us evil — 

[15] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Sunday eve- Sundown- 

I can wait no longer to write you, for I have a 
great deal to say- I should not have thought it pos- 
sible to pass a Sabbath in our country among such a 
dissolute vicious set of wretches as we are now 
among — I believe at least 50 dutchmen have been 
here to day to smoke, drink, swear, pitch cents, 
almost dance, laugh & talk dutch & stare at us- They 
come in, in droves young & old- black & white- wom- 
en & children- It is dreadful to see so many people 
that you cannot speak to or understand — They are 
all high dutch, but I hope not a true specimen of the 
Pennsylvanians generally — Just as we set down to 
tea, in came a dozen or two of women, each with a 
child in her arms, & stood round the room- I did not 
know but they had come in a body to claim me as one 
of their kin, for they all resemble me- but as they 
said nothing to me, I concluded they came to see us 
Yankees, as they would a learned pig — The 
women dress in striped linsey woolsey petticoats & 
short gowns not 6 inches in length- they look very 
strangely- The men dress much better- they put on 
their best cloaths on Sunday, which I suppose is their 
only holiday, & "keep it up" as they call it — A 
stage came on from Bethlehem & stopt here, with 2 
girls & a well dress'd fellozv who sat between them 
an arm round each — They were probably going to 
the next town to a dance or a frolic of some kind- 
for the driver, who was very familiar with them, said 
he felt just right for a frolic — I suspect more liquor 

[16] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

has been sold to day than all the week besides — The 
children have been calling us Yankees (which is the 
only english word they can speak) all day long- 
Whether it was meant as a term of derision or not, I 
neither know nor care- of this 1 am sure, they cannot 
feel more contempt for me than I do for them;-tho' 
I most sincerely pity their ignorance & folly- There 
seems to be no hope of their improvement as they 
will not attend to any means- After saying so 
much about the people, I will describe our yester- 
day's ride- but first I will describe our last nights 
lodging- Susan & me ask'd to go to bed- & Mrs W 
spoke to Mr Riker the landlord- (for no woman was 
visible)- So he took up a candle to light us & we 
ask'd Mrs W to go up with us, for we did not dare 
go alone- when we got into a room he went to the 
bed & open'd it for us, while we were almost dying 
with laughter, & then stood waiting with the candle 
for us to get into bed- but M^s W- as soon as she 
could speak, told him she would wait & bring down 
the candle & he then left us- I never laugh'd so heart- 
ily in my life- Our bed to sleep on was straw, & then 
a feather bed for covering- The pillows contain'd 
nearly a single handful of feathers, & were cover'd 
with the most curious & dirty patchwork, I ever saw- 
We had one bedquilt & one sheet- I did not undress 
at all, for I expected dutchmen in everv moment & 
you may suppose slept very comfortably in that ex- 
pectation- - Mr & Mrs W^ & another woman slept in 
the same room- When the latter came to bed, the 
man came in & open'd her bed also, after we were all 

[17] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

in bed in the middle of the night, I was awaken'd by 
the entrance of three dutchmen, who were in search 
of a bed- I was almost frightened to death- but M^ 
W at length heard & stopt them before they had 
quite reach'd our bed- Before we were dress'd the 
men were at the door- which could not fasten, look- 
ing at us- I think wild Indians will be less terrible to 
me, than these creatures- Nothing vexes me more 
than to see them set & look at us & talk in dutch and 
laugh — Now for our ride- After we left Mansfield, 
we cross'd the longest hills, and the worst road, I 
ever saw- two or three times after riding a little dis- 
tance on turnpike, we found it fenced across & were 
oblig'd to turn into a wood where it was almost 
impossible to proceed- large trees were across, not 
the road for there was none, but the only place we 
could possibly ride- It appear'd to me, we had come 
to an end of the habitable part of the globe- but all 
these difficulties were at last surmounted, & we 
reach'd the Delaware- The river where it is cross'd, 
is much smaller than I suppos'd- The bridge over 
it is elegant I think — It is covered & has i6 windows 
each side — As soon as we pass'd the bridge, we 
enter'd Easton, the first town in Pennsylvania- It 
is a small but pleasant town- the houses are chiefly 
small, & built of stone- very near together- The 
meeting house. Bank, & I think, market, are all of 
the same description- There are a few very hand- 
some brick houses, & some wooden buildings — 
From Easton, we came to Bethlehem, which is 12 
miles distant from it- Mr W. went a mile out of his 

[18] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

way, that we might see the town- It contains almost 
entirely dutch people — The houses there arc nearly 
all stone- but like Easton it contains some pretty 
brick houses- It has not half as many stores as 
Easton The meeting house is a curious build- 
ing- it looks like a castle- I suppose it is stone,- the 
outside is plaister'd- We left our waggon to view 
the town- we did not know whether the building was 
a church or the moravian school, so we enquir'd of 
2 or 3 men who only answer'd in dutch- Mr & M" 
W were purchasing bread, & Susan & I walk'd on to 
enquire- we next saw a little boy on horseback, & he 
could only say "me cannot english" but he I believe, 
spoke to another, for a very pretty boy came near 
us & bow'd & expecting us to speak, which we soon 
did; & he pointed out the school & explained the 
different buildings to us as well as he was able; but 
we found it difficult to understand him, for he could 
but just "english"- We felt very much oblig'd to him, 
though we neglected to tell him so- He is the only 
polite dutchman small or great, we have yet seen; 
& I am unwilling to suppose him a dutchman. The 
school buildings are low, long stone houses- the stone 
houses are not at all handsome- but rather ugly — 
Where we stopt to bait yesterday, we found another 
waggon containing a widow Jackson, her 2 sons & 
a daughter in lav/- They enquir'd where we going 
& told us they were going to the same place &: imme- 
diately join'd our party- We were sorry as we did 
not wish an addition to our party, & thought by not 
travvelling on Sunday we should lose their company, 

[19] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

but rather than lose ours, they wait till monday- 
They are very clever people apparently, & we may 
possibly be benefited by them before we end our 
\ journey — We now find the benefit of having our own 
provision- for I would not eat anything we could get 
here. 

Monday morn-October 29- 

It rains & we shall have a dismal day I am afraid- 
Mr W's harness last night was very much injur'd by 
being chew'd to pieces by a cow- I have broken my 
parasol handle a little, but it will not much injure it- 
I have a bad cold to day- which I know not how I 
have taken- I more than ever wish to reach War- 
ren — 

Pennsylvania- Monday-eve- A Dutchman's 

inn- I dont know where. Palks County- 

or some thing like it — 

We have only pass'd thro' 2 small towns to day, 
Allenstown & Kluztown- The former is about 3 
miles from Hannover, where we spent the sabbath, 
& 6 from Bethlehem- Before we enter'd the town, 
we cross'd the Lehi in 2 places- It was not deep, & 
we forded it to save time & expence- It runs I believe 
through Bethlehem or at the side of it & is a very 
small river- Allenstown is not a pleasant place- 
The houses are almost all stone- It contains 2 small 
stone churches- We went into a store, where I 
bought me a coarse tooth comb for 15 cents- I should 
never get accustom'd to the Pensylvania currency- 

[20] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

It diverts me to hear them talk of their fippenny 
bits (as they pronounce it) & their eleven penny 
bits — Kluztown is but a few miles from Allen- 
town- It has but one short street which is very 
thickly built with Stone & log houses — It is rather 
a dirty street & not more pleasant than the others 
Stone is used for everything in this state- The barns 
& houses are almost entirely built of it- I imagine 
the dutch pride themselves on building good barns, 
for a great many of them are very elegant- they are 
3 & 4 stories high, have windows & one or 2. I saw 
with blinds- They are larger & handsomer than 
most of the houses- The dutch women are all out 
as we pass, dressing flax, picking up apples &c &c- 
The dress of the women grows worse & worse- 
We find them now with very short petticoats, no 
short gown & barefoot — The country is not 
pleasant, at least does not appear so as we ride thro' 
it at all- I should think the land must be good as we 
see large fields of grain very frequently- There does 
not appear to be as much fruit as in N Y & N J — 
We saw immense quantities of apples in each of 
those states, particularly N J- there would be thou- 
sands of bushels at the cider presses, & still the trees 
would be borne down with them — The roads in this 
state are pretty good, where, dame Nature has not 
undertaken to pave them- but she has so much other 
business on hand that she has never learn'd to pave, 
& makes a wretched hand at it- I wish she could be 
persuaded to leave it to Art for the future; for we 
are very great sufferers for her work- It is quite 

[21] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

amusing to see the variety of paintings on the inn- 
keeper's signs- I saw one in N J with Thos Jeff'ns 
head & shoulders & his name above it- to day I saw 
Gen G Washington- his name underneath- Gen Put- 
nam riding down the steps at Horseneck- one sign 
was merely 3 little kegs hanging down one after the 
other- They have the sun rising, setting, & at Meri- 
dian, here a full moon, a new moon, the moon & 
7 stars around her, the Lion & Unicorn "fighting 
&c", & every thing else that a dutchman has ever 
seen or heard of- I do not believe one of them has 

wit enough to invent any thing, even for a sign 

Several of these creatures sit by Jabbering dutch so 
fast, that my brain is turn'd & my thoughts dis- 
tracted, & I wonder I have been able to write a 
word- If you find it unintelligible you must not won- 
der or blame me- A dozen will talk at once & it is 
really intolerable- I wish Uncle Porter was here- 
How can I live among them 3 weeks? We have 
come about 24 miles to day- it rain'd a very little 
this morning & the rest of the day has been quite 
pleasant tho' somewhat cold- Tomorrow we pass 
thro' Reading — 

Wednesday Oct^er 31st Highdleburg-Penn- 

We pass'd through Reading yesterday which is 
one of the largest & prettiest towns I have seen- 
We stopt about 2 hours in the town, & I improved 
my time in walking about to see it- I went into the 
stores enquiring for a scissor case- Almost every 
one could talk english- but I believe the greatest part 

[22] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

of them were dutch people- As soon as we left Read- 
ing, we cross'd the Schuylkill- It was not deeper than 
the Lehi, & we rode thro' it in our waggon. A 
bridge was begun over it, but the man broke & was 
unable to finish it- It would have been an excellent 
one had it been completed- It is now grown over 
with grass & serves as a walk for the ladies — We 
put up for the night at Leonard Shaver's tavern- 
He is a dutchman, but has one of the most agree- 
able women for his wife I have seen in this State- 
I was extremely tir'd when we stopt, & went imme- 
diately to bed after tea- & for the first time for a 
long while, undress'd me & had a comfortable nights 
rest- We are oblig'd to sleep every & any way- at 

most of the inns now My companions were all 

disturb'd by the waggoners who put up here & were 
all night in the room below us, eating, drinking, 
talking, laughing & swearing- Poor M"" W- was so 
disturb'd that he is not well this morning, & what is 
more unpleasant to us, is not good natur'd, & M" 
W has been urging him this half hour, to eat some 
breakfast- he would only answer "I shan't eat any"- 
but at length swallow'd some in sullen silence- but is 
in a different way preparing to ride — If I were 
going to be married I would give my intended, a gen- 
tle emetic, or some such thing to see how he would 
bear being sick a little- for I could not coax a hus- 
band as I would a child, only because he was a little 
sick & a great deal cross- I trust I shall never have 
the trial- I am sure I should never bear it with tem- 
per & patience. M^ W is I believe a very pious good 

[23] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

man, but not naturally pleasant temper'd- religion 
however, has corrected it in a great degree, but not 
wholly overcome it- Mrs W_ Is an amiable sweet 
temper'd woman, as I ever saw; the more I know 
her, the better I love her- Susan is a charming girl- 
but Erastus is rather an obstinate boy- he feels supe- 
riour to his father & every one else, in wisdom — Mrs 
Jackson is a clever woman I believe, but I have a 
prejudice against her which I cannot overcome- She 
is very inquisitive and very communicative- She 
resembles Moll Lyman or rather crazy Moll of 
Northampton in her looks- She has considerable 
property & feels it very sensibly- Her youngest son 
is almost eighteen & has his wife with him, who is 
not quite as old- They have been married 2 months, 
& are a most loving couple- I cannot help thinking 
whenever I see them together, of "love I Sophia?" 
&c — Her name is Eliza & his, John — The other 
son is a very obliging but not a very polish'd young 
man- I like them all better than at first 

Wednesday Eve- Miller's town- Penn- Oct-3ist 

We have come 24 miles to day, & just begin to 
shorten the distance between Pittsburgh & us, & to 
increase it between Phildelphy (as the dutchmen call 
it,) & us- It has for a long time been 250 miles to 
Pittsg & 60 to Philhia- but is now 218 to one & more 
than 80 to the other — It began snowing this morn- 
ing which rendered our ride more unpleasant than 
before- M^ W has continued just as he was in the 
morning- scarcely a word has been spoken by any of 

[24] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

us- I never felt more low spirited & discouraged in 
my life- We have pass'd through 2 little towns to 
day- Moyerstown & the other I don't know the name 
of- We also pass'd thro Lebanon which appear'd to 
be a town of considerable size & pleasant- we did not 
stop at all in it- The other towns were merely one 
short dirty street- this town is one street only, but 
a tolerably pretty one- There are a number of good 
houses in it- We have once more got among people 
of our own nation & language- & they appear very 
clever — 

Harrisburg- P- Thursday- Eve- 

November-ist 1810- 

It has been snowing fast all the afternoon & we 
found it very difficult travelling & were oblig'd to 
put up just in the edge of the town- It was Mr W's 
intention to cross the Susquehannah which is the 
other side the town- we shall not pass thro' it- We 
cross'd the Sweet Arrow, a little river about 8 miles 
from the Susquehannah- we cross'd it in our waggon- 
Mr Jeremiah Rees is our landlord- his wife is sick 
with a fever arising from the Hives at first- He has 
a sister who seems to take the direction of the female 
part of the business- She is a strange creature- 
Friday morn- I have been very much diverted at 
hearing some part of her history which she told last 
night, after drinking a little too much I suppose- 
She says she has property if she is not married- she 
had her fortune told a short time since- & was told to 

[25] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

think of a certain gentleman living about 300 miles 
off- which she did, & thought so hard that a drop of 
blood fell from her nose- She was telling Mrs Jack- 
son of this & ask'd how far she was going- being told 
about 300 miles- well she said she really believ'd her 
oldest son was the young man she was to have, for 
he looks just like the one she thought of- The young 

man will be quite flatter'd no doubt We are 

all in tolerably good spirits notwithstanding we are 
unable to proceed on our journey- It still contin- 
ues snowing, & we shall stay here till tomorrow 
morning & how much longer I do not know — There 
was a cockfighting in the house last night & a great 
many of the "finest young men in the town" got so 
intoxicated as to be unable to get home without 
assistance M. V. D. 

Sunday eve- East pensboro' township- P- 

We left Mr Rees' yesterday ten oclock- & after 
waiting some time at the ferry house, cross'd the 
Susquehanna with considerable difficulty- The river 
is a mile wide & so shallow that the boat would 
scrape across the large stones so as almost to prevent 
it from proceeding- We only came 8 miles- the riding 
was awful- & the weather so cold that I thought I 
should perish riding 4 miles- This will do well for 
us, 8 miles in 3 days- We were to have seen the 
mountains yesterday, but are 50 miles from it — I 
should like to have staid at Mr Rees' till we reach 
home if it was possible, notwithstanding we had like 
to have all lost our characters there- While we were 

[26] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

at breakfast, the black wench miss'd nearly 4 dollars 
of money, & very impudently accused us with taking 
it, in rather an indirect manner — I felt at first very 
angry, but anger soon gave place to pity for the poor 
girls loss- It was money she had been saving for a 
long time that she might get enough to buy her a 
dress- but she left it about very carelessly in the 
closet where any one might have taken it who was so 
disposed — But had I been inclined to steal, I could 
not have stolen from a poor black girl- I would 
rather have given her as much- I never felt so queerly 
in my life- To be suspected of theft was so new & un- 
expected to me, that I was wholly unprepar'd for 
it — We went to M^ Rees & begg'd him to take some 
method to satisfy the girl we were innocent but we 
could not prevail on him to, tho' we really wish'd it- 
He gave the girl a severe scolding & desir'd us not 
to remember it against them, or to suffer ourselves 
to be made a moment uneasy by it, & both himself 
and Mrs Rees were extremely sorry any thing of the 
kind had happen'd- The girl continued crying & 
assuring us her money had been safe all summer till 
then & nobody had been near it but us- I, nor any of 
us had any doubt that the landlord's sister, whom I 
before mention'd, had taken it- She had the day 
before 2 or 3 ninepences in her shoes, & when M^ 
W ventur'd to ask her if she had not taken it to tease 
the wench, she swore by every thing she had not 
touch'd it- She said it was fashionable for ladies to 
carry money in their shoes- I suppose she had long 
been eyeing it, & thought then would be a good op- 

[27] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

perty to take it but did not intend it should be discov- 
ered till we were gone & unable to defend ourselves 
from the charge which she then meant to make 
against us — She is so worthless a character in every 
respect, that I am certain she could be guilty of steal- 
ing upon occasion — She was very fond of telling 
what ladies, like her & me, did & wore — She is be- 
tween 30 & 40 yrs of age- It was an honour I was not 
very tenacious of, to be rank'd with her ladyship- 
The money was not found before we left there & I 
suppose the poor girl feels as certain some one of us 
have it, as that she has lost it- Should I ever return 
this way I would call & enquire about it- I hope it 
will be found with Babby (for that is the creatures 
name) — 

We put up for the Sabbath at a tavern where none 
but the servants deign to look at us- When I am 
with such people, my proud spirit rises & I feel super- 
ior to them all — I believe no regard is paid to the 
sabbath any where in this State- It is only made a 
holiday of — So much swearing as I have heard 
amongst the Pensylvanians both men & women I 
have never heard before during my whole life- I 
feel afraid I shall become so accustom'd to hearing 
it, as to feel no uneasiness at it. Harrisburgh is 
a most dissipated place I am sure- & the small towns 
seem to partake of the vice & dissipation of the 
great ones — I believe Mrs Jackson has cast her 
eyes on Susan or me for a daughter in law- for my 
part, though I feel very well disposed toward the 
young man, I had not thought of making a bargain 

[28] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

with him, but I have jolted off most of my high 
notions, & perhaps I may be wiUing to descend from 
a judge to a blacksmith- I shall not absolutely deter- 
mine with respect to him till I get to Warren & have 
time to look about me & compare him with the judges 
Dobson & Stephenson- It is clever to have two or 
three strings to ones bow — But in spite of my preju- 
dices, they are very clever — Among my list of cast 
offs, I would rank Dutchmen, a Pensylvania wag- 
goner, ditto gentlemen- for their prophanity- & a 
Slut- The words, Landlord & lady, terrible,- get 
married,- get a husband-&c &c — I do not find it as 
easy to write a journal as I had hoped- for we are 
seldom favour'd with any more than the barroom, & 
there is always as many men as the room will hold be- 
sides our party, & there is nine of us- so you may 
judge whether I find it difficult or not- I frequently 
begin a sentence & forget how to finish it,- for the 
conversation grows so loud, that I am oblig'd to 
listen to it & write between whiles- I sometimes get 
quite discouraged & think I will not try again, but I 
take too much pleasure in writing, to give it up will- 
ingly— 

lo miles West of Carlisle- Penn- 

Monday Nov-5th- 

We came but a little pelce as the Dutchmen say, 
to day, & are in a most curious place to night- If 
possible I will describe it- It is a log hut built across 
the road from the tavern, for movers- that the land- 

[29] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

lord need not be bother'd with them — Had it been 
possible for our horses to have reached another inn 
we should not have staid with the cross old dutch fel- 
low- we have a good fire, a long dirty table, a few 
boards nailed up for a closet, a dozen long boards in 
one side & as many barrels in the other- 2 benches to 
sit on, two bottomless chairs, & a floor containing dirt 
enough to plant potatoes — The man says he has 
been so bother'd with movers, that he has taken 
down his sign, for he does not need his tavern to 
live — If we had a mind to stay we might but if we 
chose to go on he had no objection — Cross old 
witch- I had rather have wallc'd 10 miles than stay, 
but the poor horses could not — We are going to 
sleep on the floor all in a room together in the old 
stile without bothering the old Scamp, for any thing- 
Mrs Jackson has beds — If I did not feel provok'd 
with the wretch I should rest comfortably- 

Tues- morn- The old man I believe feels a little 
asham'd of his treatment of us & was going to make 
some apology, but concluded by saying with a forced 
laugh, that if we ever came there again, he would 
treat us just so- He may if has opporty — 

Tuesday night- Nov-6th- 

We have only counted 17 miles to day although 
the riding has been much better than for several 
days past- We stopt in Shippenburgh at noon- The 
town contains only one street a mile & a half in 
length & very thickly built- The street is some part 
of it pleasant, & some part dirty — I saw in it a 

[30] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

handsome young gentleman who was both a dutch- 
man & Pennsylvanian, yet in an hour & half I did 
not hear him make use of a single oath or prophane 
word- It was a remarkable instance, the only one I 
have known, & I could not but remark it- Prophanity 

is the characteristic of a Pennsylvanian We are 4 

miles from Strasburgh & the mountains, & one of 
our horses is ill, owing to Erastus giving him too 
many oats- Erastus is master rather than his father, 
& will do as he pleases for all any one- He is a stub- 
born fellow, & so impudent to his mother & sister, 

that I have no patience with him We are not as 

bless'd as the Israelites were, for our shoes wax old 
& our cloaths wear out — I don't know that mine will 

last till I get there 

Wed- morn- Last night Susan & I went to bed 
early, as we slept ill the night before- we expected to 
get good beds & were never so disappointed- We 
were put in an old garret that had holes In the roof 
big enough to crawl through- Our bed w^as on the 
floor, harder it appear'd to me, than boards could 
be- & dirty as possible- a dirty feather bed our only 
covering- After lying an hour or two, we com- 
plain'd to Mrs Wolcott who applied to the landlady 
for a bedstead, but could only obtain leave for us 
to sleep on one bed with another over us- I slept 
wretchedly & feel very little like climbing a moun- 
tain — Mr & Mrs W could not sleep at all & got up 
at about eleven oclock — She had good beds in the 
house or I would not have complained so much — 

[31] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Jennyauter-P — Wednesday 2 oclock P M- 
between 2 brothers 



This morning we cross'd the first mountain call'd 
first brother, & are in an inn between the first & 
second brother; the latter we are soon to ascend- 
The first m-n is 3 1-2 miles over,- better road than 
we expected- but bad enough to tire the horses almost 
to death- We met & were overtaken by a number of 
people — We all walk'd the whole distance over- I 
did not stop at all to rest till I reach'd the top- I 
was then oblig'd to wait for some of them to over- 
take me, as I had outwalk'd them all. It is not a 
little fatiguing to walk up a long mountain I find — 
When we had nearly reach'd the foot of it, we heard 
some music in the valey below, & not one of us could 
imagine from what it proceeded; but soon found it 
was from the bells of a waggoner- He had twelve 
bells on the collars of his horses, (not sleigh bells) 
& they made a great variety of sounds which were 
really musical at a distance — We found at the tav- 
ern where we are now, or rather they came after us, 
a Mr Beach, & his wife who was confin'd nine days 
after she set out on her journey, with a little son- 
It is just a fortnight since she was confin'd, & this 
morning she ventur'd to set out on her journey 
again- They came from Morristown- N J- & are 
going to some part of the Ohio, much farther than 
we are going. Mrs B- appears to be a very pretty 
woman & quite a lady- Her father & mother, a sister 
&: 3 little children, set out with them, but were 

[32] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

oblig'd to leave them & go on, as soon as M'^ B 
was confin'd- I feel afraid she will catch her death, 
tho' every care is taken to render her journey safe 
& comfortable — She & babe are both very well 
now — 

Fannltsburg- Penn- McAllen's Inn- 
Wednesday night- Nov- 6^11- 

We have over come 2 mountains to day- & are 
between the 2^ & 3^ brothers- We walked over it- 
I have walked about 8 miles to day & feel as much 
fatigued as I have almost ever been in my life- It 
was 4 long miles over- We met a number of wag- 
gons on it- but no other travellers- 7^his is a very 
small but pretty place- The 3 first m-ns are very 
near each other- the 4th is 40 or 50 miles distant — 
They are higher than I expected, & make a formid- 
able appearance- It has been very smoky all day- I 
am so tir'd I can neither think or write, so good 
night 

Thursday morn- We had a good nights rest, but 
I am so lame I can scarcely walk this morning- I 
have a mountain to walk ov^er, notwithstanding — AT 
W's horses grow so dull that he expects to be oblig'd 
to put up for a few days, & we are all almost dis- 
couraged — The weather looks stormy & where we 
shall get to or what we shall do, I cannot imagine — 
The Jacksons enquire about the road & the moun- 
tains &c &c, of every one they see, & get such dif- 
ferent & contradictory answers from each one, that 

[33] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

it perplexes & discourages us all- I wish they would 
be contented to wait patiently till time & experience 
inform them what they cannot find out any other 
way- Mr W says I have now an opporfy to experience 
the truth of a text of scripture which says "all men 
are liars"- I found that out long ago- & this journey 
confirms the truth of it. 

Peach Orchard, P- Thursday night- 
Phelps' Tavern — 

I do not feel to night, my dear Elizabeth, as if I 
should ever see you again- 3 mountains & more hun- 
dreds of miles part us; & tho' I cannot give up the 
idea of returning, I cannot think of traversing this 
road again- If I live to return I will wait till the new 
turnpike is finished — We cross'd the last brother 
this morning, & found the greater part of it, better 
than the other two- but about 60 rods near the top 
it was excessively steep — We found a house at the 
foot of the steepest part- A woman & her 2 sons live 
there & keep cakes & beer — The woman told us she 
had no husband at present — I suppose she has one 
in expectation — On the first mountain, I found some 
sweet Williams — We stopt at noon, at a dismal 
looking log hut tavern- The landlady (I hate the 
word but I must use it,) talk'd about bigotry, bigot- 
ted notions, liberty of conscience &c- She did not 
look as if she knew the meaning of conscience, much 
less of bigotry — All this afternoon we have been 
walking over young mountains, distant relations of 

[34] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

the 3 brothers, but not half as clever- I was so lame 
& so tir'd that for an hour I did not know but I must 
set down & die- I could not ride- the road was so 
bad, it was worse than walking- I would not tell you 
all this, if you were to receive this before it is all 
over — It rain'd a very little all day, but just at night 
it began to rain very fast, & I expected we should all 
catch our death, walking thro' mud & mire, with no 
umbrella, or but one that would not cover us all - We 
were wet thro before we reach'd this dreadful place 
where we now are — The Woman is cross & the 
Man sick 

Friday night- It rain'd all day yesterday, & such a 
shocking place as this is, I never saw- A dozen Wag- 
goners are here, some half drunk & no place for us 
to stay in but our waggons or a little chamber with 3 
squares of glass in it- with scarcely room to sit or 
stand — 

Saturday morn I am now in despair, it con- 
tinues raining faster than ever- The house full 
of drunken prophane wretches, the old woman cross 
as a witch- We have nothing to eat & can get noth- 
ing but some slapjacks at a baker's some distance off, 

& so stormy we cannot get there Mrs Jackson 

frets all the time, I wish they would go on & leave 
us, we should do as well again — M^ Beach & his 
wife & child & the woman who Is with them, are 
here, & the house is full- Mrs Beach rode in all the 
rain Thursday, but took no cold & bears it well as 
any one- It rains most dreadfully & they say it Is the 
clearing off shower- Oh, if it only proves so "Oh 

[3S] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

had I the wings of a dove, how soon would I meet 
you again"- We have never found the wretches 
indehcate till last evening, but while we were at 
tea, they began talking & singing in a most dreadful 
manner — We are 4 miles from Sidling hill, the next 
mountain, & a mile & a half from this, there is a 
creek which we must cross, that is so rais'd by the 

rain, as to render it impossible to pass it 

Saturday night- Our "clearing up shower" has 
lasted all day with unabated violence, — Just at sun- 
set we had a pretty hard thunder shower, & at dusk 
there was clear sky visible & the evening star shone 
bright as possible, but now it is raining fast again — 
After giving an emetic I would take a long journey 
with my intended, to try his patience — mine is try'd 
sorely now- I wish you could just take a peep at me- 
my frock is wet & dirty a quarter of a yard high, 
only walking about the house- I have been in my 
chamber almost the whole day, but was oblig'd to go 
down just at night to eat, & look at the sky- I was 
very much frighten'd by a drunken waggoner, who 
came up to me as I stood by the door waiting for a 
candle, he put his arm round my neck, & said some- 
thing which I was too frighten'd to hear- It is the 
first time the least insult has been offer'd to any of 
us- One waggoner very civilly offer'd to take Susan 
or me, on to Pittss in his waggon if we were not like 
to get there till spring- It is not yet determin'd 
which shall go with him — One waggon in crossing 
the creek this afternoon, got turn'd over & very 
much injur'd — We have concluded the reason so 

[36] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

few are willing to return from the Western country, 
is not that the country is so good, but because the 
journey is so bad — M"" W. has gone to & from there, 
5 times, but thinks this will be the last time- Poor 
Susan groans & sighs & now then sheds a few tears- 

I think I exceed her in patience & fortitude 

Mrs Wolcott is a woman of the most perfect equa- 
nimity I ever saw- She is a woman of great feeling & 
tenderness, but has the most perfect command over 
her feelings- She is not oivn mother to these chil- 
dren, but she is a very good one I have 

learn'd Elizabeth, to eat raw pork & drink whisky- 
dont you think I shall do for a new country? I shall 
not know how to do either when I end my journey, 
however- We have almost got out of the land of 
dutchmen, but the waggoners are worse- — The 
people here talk curiously, they all reckon instead of 
expect — Youns is a word I have heard used several 
times, but what it means I don't know, they use it so 
strangely — Mr Rees used to exclaim at any thing 
wonderful, "Only look at that now" — "I reckon 
you are going into the back countries" is now our 

usual salutation from every one Susan is 

in bed for want of some employment & I will join 
her, after telling you, it has really clear'd off now, & 
the moon is shining in full splendor.- I hope to-mor- 
rows sun will deign to smile upon us- It is long since 

we have seen it I expect to be oblig'd to go thro' 

a process of fire & brimstone at my journeys end & 
shall feel thankful, if that will remedy all the evils 
arising from dirty beds &c — I find no necessity for 

[37] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

even that yet, but I fear I shall soon good 

night 

Sunday 2 oclock P M- We left the Inn this morn- 
ing in the hope of getting a little piece on our way, 
but have only reach'd the baker's, half a mile from 
where we set out- The creek is so high we cannot 
cross it yet- An old man & his wife live here, & 
appear to be very kind clever people, & what is more 
than we have found before, they appear to regard 
the Sabbath- They are Methodists- This is a small 
log hut, but clean & comfortable- There are no wag- 
goners here — I shall be oblig'd to colour my frock 
I believe, for it attracts the attention of those crea- 
tures so much, that I dare not go in sight of them 
scarcely- I often think of the 2 lines your Mama 
repeated to us "In Silk, &c" 

Sunday night. 

About sunset, we left the baker's & came down to 
the Creek, but found it was impossible to get over 
the waggon, & the road was so intolerable between 
the place we had left & the creek, that we could not 
go back, & what to do, it took a long time to deter- 
mine; but at length M^ W concluded we had better 
come over to a dirty tavern this side, & let Erastus 
sleep in the wagon — The stream runs so fast, that 
we did not dare cross it alone, as there was nothing 
but a log to cross on; so the waggoners & our 
own party, were oblig'd to lead & pilot us, over 
the stream & thro' a most shocking place as I ever 

[38] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

saw- The men were all very civil- they are waiting 

this line is the shape of a Pennsylvania waggon — 

with th^' i u^ — We fare 

f-e-r vv,gg„„3^ y^^ the rest ot u. 

worse tk worse, & still Mr W- & his wife, tell us this 
is nothing to what will come- I do not fully believe 
them, for we cannot endure much more & live — 
Susan & young NTs Jackson have been quite unwell 
all day — I never felt in better health, & my spirits 
are pretty good, considering all things — We are 
not able to get beds here, & are to sleep on the floor 
to night- There is another family here, with several 
little children — They say there has been a heap of 
people moving this fall ;- I don't know exactly how 
many a heap is, or a si^ht either, which is another 
way of measuring people — I would be apt to think 
it was a terrible parcel, to use the language of the 
people round me I have such an enormous appe- 
tite the whole time, that I have been in some fear of 
starving- for food of every kind, is very scarce with 
us- Money will not procure it, & nothing else I am 
sure, will- for they love money better than life, if 
possible — 4 Sabbaths we have pass'd on the 
road, & I suppose 2 or 3 more will pass before we 
get among people who "remember the sabbath day 
to keep it holy" — We find no books to read, only at 
the bakers to day I found part of a bible, a metho- 
dist hymn book & a small book containing an ac- 
count of the progress of Methodism throughout the 

country; in letters from Ministers & others 

We left Mr Beach & family, at the tavern we left 

[39] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

to day — I hope tomorrow to write you from a com- 
fortable place 6 or 8 miles at least from the next 
mountain — 

Monday morn- We have now I think met with as 
bad as can befal us — Never, never did I pass such 

a night We could get no bed & for a long time 

expected to be oblig'd to set up all night- but we 
could get no room nor fire to stay by, & the landlady 
was so kind as to give up her bed to us; so Mrs W 
& Susan went to bed there, while I went to bed with 
Mrs Jackson in another room- I took off my frock 
& boots, & had scarcely lain down, when one of the 
wretches came into the room & lay down by me on 
the outside of the bed- I was frighten'd almost to 
death & clung to M^s Jackson who did not appear to 
mind it- & I lay for a quarter of an hour crying, & 
scolding & trembling, begging of him to leav^e me- 
At last, when persuaded I was in earnest, he begg'd 
of me not to take it amiss, as he intended no harm & 
only wish'd to become acquainted with me — A good 
for nothing brute, I wonder what he suppos'd I 
was- I don't know of any thought word or action of 
mine that could give him reason to suppose I would 
authorise such abominable insolence — The man & 
his wife, who are here, & their family, John Jackson 
& his wife, & M^s Jackson, were all in the room- 
The moment he left the room, I put on my frock & 
was going in to Mrs \V & Susan, but I could not get 
to them without going thro' the room where all the 
waggoners were, & Mrs Jackson did not think it 
safe, so I got on another part of the bed where none 

[40] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

of them could come near me, & had been there 
about lo minutes when Mrs \V & Susan came into 
the room both crying, & as much frighten'd as I 
had been, for one of the creatures had been into 
their room, & they could scarcely get him out- Mr 
W- was in the waggon, & the landlord was so afraid 
of these wags^ that he did not dare stay in his own 
house, for they threaten'd to put him into the creek, 
if he did not continue giving them liquor- I wish 
they had put him in- a mean sneaking fellow! — His 
poor wife was then oblig'd to bear it all, & she was 
very much distressed on our account- She was not 
to blame for any thing that happenVi, for as long 
as her husband suffer'd it, she could not prevent it- 
At last Mrs W- went to bed with M^s Jackson & me, 
& Susan lay down with John & his wife- We lay but 
a few minutes, when one of them came into our room 
again crawling on his hands & knees- Mrs W & I 
sprung & run out into the mud in our stocking feet 
& were going to call M"" W.- but the creatures came 
out to us & begg'd us not to, & pledg'd their honor 
(of which you may suppose they possess'd a great 
share) that we should not be disturb'd more- & 
tenderness for Mr W- who we knew would be sick 
to day if depriv'd of rest, at length determin'd us 
to go back; but we did not go to bed again till just 
morning, when some of us slept nearly or quite an 
hour- which was every wink of sleep we could obtain 
during the whole night- The fellows were all but 
one, very still afterwards- Indeed there was but 2 
who made any disturbance, & only one of those was 

[41] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

very bad- but one, was a complete child of the evil 
one- the vilest, worst, most blasphemous wretch, that 
ever liv'd — Mr W- came back to the house before 
2 oclock, & this morning, threaten'd them with a 
prosecution- They are quite angry- they are in the 
employ of this man who is moving; he is a merchant 
& they carry his goods to Pittsg — 

Novbr-i2th Monday night- Nail Shop- 
on the 4th Mountain 

We have got 8 1-2 miles on our journey to day, 
& now it rains again — • If I could describe to you 
our troubles from roads, waggoners & creeks, I 
would,- but it is impossible — The waggoners set out 
just before we did & the bad one being foremost 
has taken all the pains In his power to hinder our 
progress, by driving as slow as possible & stopping 
every other moment- The road was too narrow to 
pass them, unless they would turn out for us- all but 
one did, but he swore he would not- We came by 
them as they stopp'd at noon, & put up to night at 
an inn on the mountain, out of the direct road, where 
we should peaceably pass the night- but the waggon- 
ers have follow'd us, & the house is full- They are 
not in our room — Our party now consists of M^s 
Jackson's, Mr Beach's & Mr W's familys — The 
woman who is with Mr Beach, is such a foolish old 
creature, that we are all out of patience with her — 

She is aunt to them, I believe If I were to choose, 

I would never have company on a long journey- such 

[ 42 ] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

company at least- Our chairs here are taken from us 
for the Waggoners Our road over the moun- 
tains, has not even a good prospect to render it 
pleasant- I have been repeating to Susan all day, 
"Comfort damsel &c"- M^s Jackson is scolding 
because she has no chair to set on.- M^ W- tells her, 
"Fret not thyself because of evil doers" — There is 
another impassable creek a head, & a hundred wag- 
gons waiting to cross it- Our prospect brightens fast- 
dont you think so? good night — 

Tuesday eve- Nov- I3''i- 4 miles east of 

Bedford- Penn- 

We have at length escap'd the waggoners & Mr 
Beach- The former did not trouble us last night at 
all in the night- When we went to bed they watch'd 
us narrowly, & after we were in bed we heard them 
talking about us, enquiring of each other where we 
slept &c- We were in the room with Mr & M^s Wol- 
cott, directly over the room they w^ere in, but still I 
felt afraid of them- The worst one is quite mad, & 
says he intends if possible, to give us more trouble 
than he has done already- The other is quite asham'd 
of his conduct & I suspect would be willing to make 
any amends in his power- He told this to Mrs Jack- 
son who is much too familiar with them, & I believe 
it was owing entirely to that, that they conducted 
so- for the rest of us always avoid even the sight of 
them, as much as possible; & much more any con- 
versation with them — We got up very early indeed 

[43] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

& set out before breakfast, because the horses could 
have no hay, & we have got quite out of their reach — 
We cross'd a Httle stream call'd the Juniaatta- I 
spell the names as they are pronounced, but I do not 
spell them right, I am sure, nor can I find out how 
they are spelt many of them- The river is long & 
narrow- It takes a winding course thro' the moun- 
tains, & is a very pretty stream — We rode some 
distance on its banks, & the road been tolerable, it 
would have been pleasant- I have said so much about 
the badness of the roads that you will hardly believe 
me when I tell you we seen some of the worst 
to day we have ever found- & some, as good as any 
in this state — I should not have suppos'd it pos- 
sible for any thing to pass it- Mrs W said it seem'd 
like going into the lower regions, but I had always 
an idea, that road was smooth & easy- I am sure if 
it was as bad as that, it would have fewer travellers- 
We went down however till we came to a lower re- 
gion- It was really awful — We saw some men to 
day, mending the roads- I did not think a Pennsyl- 
vanian ever touch'd a road or made a bridge, for we 
are oblig'd to ride thro' every stream we come to- 
We have been nearly 20 miles to day; & have been 
oblig'd to walk up hill, till we are all very tir'd- I 
felt too much so to write, but I am unwilling to omit 
it- We are now, comfortably & quietly seated. In a 
private house- I only wish now, we could get rid of 
what company we have left- but that we cannot 
do 

[44] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

Wednesday night. A private house- 

lo miles w- of Bedford 

We cross'd the Juniaatta again to day, with a 
great deal of trouble, after waiting on its banks 
about 3 hours- It is astonishing how the last week's 
rain, rais'd every stream & overflow'd every place- 
The like here, has not been known for 30 years it is 
said — A waggoner last week, with 4 horses, was 
drown'd crossing a creek- He was advis'd by those 
who were by, not to venture- & answer'd "he would 
be damn'd to hell if he did not cross It"- he made the 
attempt & in a few minutes was sent into eternity, & 

probably to that aw^ful place It has been 

raining very fast this afternoon, & we put up at a 
little log hut, a few miles west of Bedford- we came 
about 10 miles to day- The house is very small & 
there is scarcely room to move- 
Thursday night- Allegany M^n 

Nov- 16- 

We have had a w^arm & pleasant day till towards 
night, when it began to rain, as it has done every 
day for a fortnight- We are now at a tavern half a 
mile from the top of the Allegany Mt- this Mountain 
is 14 miles over- At the highest part of it is a most 
beautiful prospect of mountains- 5 or 6 ridges one 
after the other — We clamber'd up a high rock near 
to the highest part, but found the prospect little 
better than the one from the road- I wish I could 
describe it to you- We have had no prospect of any 

[45] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

consequence from any of the mountains before- I 
have been quite disappointed at not seeing any — 
We found winter green berrys in abundance on it- 
I pick'd a sprig of ivy from the top, which I will 
send you- call it laurel & preserve it, as it came from 
the very backbone of America, as they all tell us — 
We have walk'd a great deal to day, & indeed we are 
oblig'd to every day, for the whole country seems 
one continued mt"- I thought we had reach'd the top 
of this, for we began to descend a little; but we have 

half a mile more to ascend yet This house is full 

of travvellers & wag'"rs but all are very peacable- 
There is a curiosity in the house- a young lady who 
has come from N Connecticut unmarried — after 
staying in Warren a year — a thing I never before 
heard of, & had begun to think impossible. I feel 
quite encouraged by it- & do not believe the place as 

dangerous as is generally reported I find in every 

family a Paggy- every body is dutch — the children 
& girls, are all very much attracted by my little black 
buttons, & the manner in which my frock is made- 
Si the Wag'rs by the colour of it- There will be little 
of it left by the time I get to Warren, for it is al- 
most gone — 

Friday night- Allegany Mt" — 

After a comfortable nights rest, we set out on foot 
to reach the height of the mtn- It rain'd fast for a 
long time, & at length began snowing- We found the 
roads bad past description,- worse than you can pos- 

[46] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

sibly imagine- Large stones & deep mud holes every 
step of the way- We were oblig'd to walk as much 
as we possibly could, as the horses could scarcely stir 
the waggon the mud was so deep & the stones so 
large — It has grown so cold that I fear we shall all 
perish tomorrow- We suffer'd with cold excessively, 
to day- From what I have seen and heard, I think 
the State of Ohio will be well fill'd before winter,- 
Waggons without number, every day go on- One 
went on containing forty people- We almost every 
day, see them with i8 or 20- one stopt here to night 
with 21 — We are at a baker's, near a tavern which 
is fill'd with movers & waggoners- It is a comfort- 
able place, but rather small- One old man has been 
in examining my writing, & giving his opinion of it 
in dutch, to a young fellow who was with him- He 
said he could not read a word of any thing — He 
found fault with the ink, but commended the strait- 
ness & facility with which I wrote- in english- I was 

glad he had not on his specs We came but 

10 miles to day, & are yet on the Allegany- It is up 
hill almost all the way down the mountains — I do 
not know when we are down them for my part — 
I'm thinking as they say here, we shall be oblig'd to 
winter on it, for I reckon we shall be unable to pro- 
ceed on our journey, on account of roads, weather, 
&:c — We are on the old Pennsylvania road- the 
Glade road is said to be ten times worse than this- 
That is utterly impossible- We thought we should 
escape the waggoners this way; but find as many of 
them as ever- they are a very great annoyance 

[ 47 ] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

What would the old man say hereto? — I am very 
tir'd, so good night — 

Saturday eve-2 miles from Laurel Hill-Penn- 

We came but 9 or lo miles to day, & are now near 
the 6th Mountain- in a tavern fiU'd with half drunken 
noisy waggoners — One of them lies singing directly 
before the fire; proposing just now to call for a song 

from the young ladies I can neither think 

nor write he makes so much noise with his love 
songs; I am every moment expecting something 
dreadful & dare not lay down my pen lest they should 
think me listening to them- They are the very worst 
wretches that ever liv'd, I do believe, — I am out of 
all patience with them- The whole world nor any 
thing in it, would tempt me to stay in this State 
three months- I dislike everything belonging to it — 
I am not so foolish as to suppose there are no better 
people in it than those we have seen; but let them 
be ever so good, I never desire to see any of them — 
We overtook an old waggoner whose waggon had 
got set in the mud, & I never heard a creature swear 
so- & whipt his horses till I thought they would 
die — I could not but wonder at the patience and for- 
bearance of the Almighty, whose awful name was so 
blasphem'd — We also overtook a young Doctor- 
who is going with his father to Mad river in the 
state of Ohio — He has been studying physic in New 
Jersey,- but appears to be an uneducated man from 
the language he makes use of 1 believe both him- 
self & his father are very clever- I heard them re- 

[48] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

proving a swearer — He dresses smart, & was so 
polite as to assist us in getting over the mud — Susan 
& I walk'd on before the waggon as usual, & he over- 
took us and invited us into the house & call'd for 
some brandy sling- we did not drink, which he ap- 
pear'd not to like very well, & has scarcely spoken 
to us since — tie thinks himself a gentleman of the 
jirst chop, & takes the liberty of coining words for 
himself- Speaking of the people in this state, he 
said they wxre very ignorant & very siiperstit'wn- 
ary — perhaps you have heard the word before- I 
never did — 

Sunday morn- We had good beds last night, con- 
trary to my expectation,- and we are going on our 
journey this morning- It is extremely cold & very bad 
riding or walking- M"" W- has been so long detain'd 
by bad weather & riding, that he thinks himself justi- 
fiable in riding on the sabbath- I thought so some 
time ago — 

Sunday noon- We are on the top of Laurel 
Hill, the 6t'^ mountain — We women & girls, have 
walk'd betw^een 5 & 6 miles this morning — We left 
the waggons getting along very slowly, & came on 
to a house to warm us- It is a log hut & full of chil- 
dren, as is every one we come to — The wind whistles 

about us, & it looks very much like snow' One 

waggon got set this morning, & hinder'd us this long 
time — The young Doctor & his father are still in 
company with us — The former, who has got over 
his pouting fit, leaves his father to drive,- while he 
walks on with the ladies- he is not with us just now — 

[49] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

He has not conquer'd the antipathy I bear a young 
physician- or rather a young Doctor- How httle it 
seems hke the sabbath- I would not write if I could 
do any thing else- but I can not even think good 
thoughts — 

Sunday eve- Nov-i9th- Foot of 

Laurel Hill-Penn- 

I wish my dear Elizabeth, you could be here for 
half an hour, & hear the strangest man talk, that 
you or I ever saw in this world- He is either mad 
or a fool- I don't know which, but he looking over 
me & telling me I can make a writer- He is the most 
rating, ranting fellow- I wish you could hear him — 
I begin to think him mad- His name is Smith- He 
& his wife are journeying either to New Orleans or 
the Ohio — I never was more diverted than to hear 
him (he is certainly crazy- repeating a prayer & a 
sermon & forty other things in a breath) talk about 
the Dutchmen in Pennsylvania- He & his wife came 
amongst them one evening & stopt at several houses 
to get entertainment, but was sent on by each one to 
the tavern- He began by stating his religious tenets, 
& at length after every body & thing was created, he 
says the under Gods (of whom he supposes there 
were a great number) took some of the skum & 
stir'd it up, & those fellows came out — or rather 

Hell boil'd over & they were form'd of the skum 

I believe he has been studying all his life for hard 
words & pompous speeches, & he rattled them off 
at a strange rate- His language is very ungrammati- 

[50] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

cal- but the Jacksons are all in raptures with him — 
They cannot understand his language (nor indeed 
could any one else) & therefore concluded he must 
be very learned- Their observations are almost as 
di\'erting as his conversation- I could make them be- 
lieve in ten minutes, that I was a girl of great larnin- 
if I were to say over Kermogenious- Heterogenious 
& a few such words without any connection — no 
matter if I do but bring them in some how — We 
are over the 6^'' mountain & at an Inn at the foot of 
it- This mt" is called worse than any of them- it is 
only about 6 miles over- We have only come 8 to 
day, & I have not been in the waggon- The horses 
once or twice got set, & cast &c- we have had a deal 
of bad luck — There is a great many travellers here- 

the house is full The young D^ told me he was 

married, to day — I like him rather better than I did, 
before, & ventured to walk on a mile or two with 
him- He gave me the history of his courtship &c- 
and some information respecting the part of Ohio 
he is going to, that was quite interesting — Susan 
chose to ride down the hill, & I outwalk'd Mrs W, 
so we w^ere quite alone till we reach'd this house- M^s 
Jackson & Eliza had gone on before us, and I every 
moment expected to overtake them, but did not see 
them till we got here — I am very tir'd & have 
laughed myself into a headache; so I can write no 
more to night. 

Monday morn- Last night we were again cheated 
out of our beds, & oblig'd to pass the night as we 
could, & that was most uncomfortably- I was quite 

[51] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

unwell with the headache, & had waited for a bed 
an hour & a half longer than I felt able to set up; & 
when I found I could get none, I had a long crying 
spell — This morning I feel almost sick — M^ W- 
is so much afraid of making trouble, that he will 
wait till every body else is served, & let them cheat 
him out of his eyes, & say nothing. Our party here 
consists of English, Irish, German, & Americans- 
2 of the first- 4 of the second- i of the third- & a 
house full of the last — This strange man is an 
everlasting talker- He knows every body & every 
thing about them- He has been repeating one of Mr 
Pierpont Edwards^ speeches to me- & one of Mr Hil- 
house's- Not one second elapses between his words- 
He is a very pompous fellow & takes great pains to 
display what he does know- He has been a school- 
master- & now I suspect is crazy & running away 
with a girl he calls his wife- but who seems to be 

nobody It rain'd very fast last night- & is more 

muddy than ever — 

Monday night- a mile west of the mountains- 
Rejoice with me my dear Elizabeth, that we are 
at length over all the mountains, so call'd — I do not 
suppose we shall be much better off than we were 
before, as it respects roads- for I had just as lieve go 
over a mountain, as to go over the same distance of 
any part of the road we have had this fortnight or 
three weeks- But it sounds well to say we are over 
the mountains — We cross'd Chesnut Ridge, the 7th 
& last Mtn this afternoon- It is 5 miles over — 12 

[52] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

miles we have come to day — There is a pretty pros- 
pect of hills as you cdme down the M^"- One house 
on the top of it — We have taken a great deal of 
pains to get rid of company to day, by going for- 
ward & staying behind- but is is an unpossibility 
(Mr Newingtori) I am more out of patience than 
ever — We came on to the 4th tavern after we got 
down,- because w'e thought those behind us, would 
stop sooner- Mrs Jackson & her tribe were with us- 
but we thought all the rest were out of the reach of 
us- This is a little hut, one window in front- but it 
is neat & comfortable inside, & we were all quietly 
seated round the fire, congratulating ourselves on our 
escape, when in came the young doctor- I thought 
we should all scream out- Mrs Jackson told him she 
thought we had lost him- he said he lik'd not to have 
found us- I wish with all my heart, they had got fast 
in the mud a little while. The rattlebrain'd fellow is 
not here, to talk us to death — He pass'd us on the 
road, singing & screaming, advising us to go back 
& learn hog latin- alias German- or dutch — We are 
now 41 miles from Pitt 

Novbr 2 1 St Tuesday Night-A mile from 

Greensburg-Penn- 

We have had better roads to day, but only came 
10 miles — Last night we had good beds, but were 
oblig'd to sleep in the room with the Dr & his father- 
Mr & Mrs W- of course, as we have determin'd not 
to sleep out of their room again — The landlord & 
his wife were extremely clever- they gave us a great 

[53] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

many apples & some cherry bounce- Such treatment, 
after being refus'd even the privilege of getting any 
victuals,- as we were the night before, was very 
welcome — The landlord has been a waggoner- 
"Only look at that now"-A clever waggoner! I 
cannot but think his cleverness (is there such a 
word?) came after he gave up his waggon — After 
riding a little way, we overtook M^ Smith again, & 
found he had been fighting with a waggoner, who 
began to insult him, by calling him a damn'd Yankee- 
before they ended Mr S- whipt 3 of them- I was 
glad they got whipt, for almost every one deserves 
it — Mr S- lamented we were not there to see the 
fun- He declar'd, or rather swore, he would not 
leave us again, but would stand by and fight for 
all- He lets his wife ride alone, & he walks on to 
talk to every one that will listen to him — As for the 
Dr, he is "nothing but a pester"- Susan & I took a 
great deal of pains to go either before or behind to 
get rid of his company, but it does no good, for he 
will either wait, or walk faster- I had a great mind 
to ask him, if he expected to lose his wife soon- 
We pass'd thro Greensburg, a pretty little town, 
situated on a high hill- the other waggons had gone 
on, & were bating in the town- but M^ W- did not 
stop, so the Dr follow'd on & left his father, & 
waited at another place for us to bait- We were only 
able to come a mile farther, as the horses fail'd- 
The rest of the company had gone on, expecting us 
to follow- The Dr came in here with us & I thought 
intended to stay, by his actions, but he at length 

[54] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

walk'd on to join the rest of his company — We have 
escap'd hearing Mr S- talk, which I would not be 
oblig'd to do for 9 pence an hour- 
Wednesday morn- I have not spent so pleasant 
an evening this long time as the last- Will you be- 
lieve me, when I tell you we heard some waggoners 
conversing upon religious subjects- instead of swear- 
ing & cursing- One is an Irish waggoner, & appears 
to be sensible, well inform'd man- & what is more, 
has read his bible- 2 clever waggoners! I think I 
will never condemn a whole race again- I can now, 
even believe it possible to find a clever Dutchman in 
Pennsylvania. I hope we shall lose all our com- 
pany this morning- but I expect they will wait for 
us- This is a good tavern- We have had sun shine for 
2 days past- The weather, as it respects heat & cold, 
is very variable- but it invariably rains every day — 

Thursday Morn- Sewel's tavern- 

Versailes-township- 

Yesterday morning, w^e did not set out till quite 
late, but had the good fortune to overtake all our 
company within an hour or two, & were oblig'd once 
more to put up with them- We had also, a consid- 
erable addition to our party — We were oblig'd to 
walk a great deal, & just at night, I happen'd to be 
on before the waggon some distance & prevented M"" 
W- from stopping at a private house, which we 
pass'd- I did not think of his wishing it till Mrs J_ 
mentioned it, I then set out to return, but saw the 
waggon coming & sat down on a log- We did not 

[55] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

reach a tavern till some time after dark- & Mr W- 
got hurt & his waggon got set-, & he feels unpleas- 
antly towards me, & thinks me the whole cause of 
his trouble — The whole family feel & treat me dif- 
ferently this morning, & I can not think myself to 
blame- for we are oblig'd to walk almost all the time, 
& if we are behind the waggon Mr W- always is 
angry — Mrs W- Susan & I, were oblig'd to walk, 
till we found a house, & if the young Dr had not 
been with us, I don't know but we should have pass'd 
the night in the woods - but he was so good as to 
assist us - The gentlemen all reach'd the tavern be- 
fore us, & when Mr W- came & told his trouble, they 
very kindly went back & assisted him — There were 
but two beds to be had, so Mr Smith gave up his 
place to me, & Mr & Mrs W took the other — The 
gentlemen were very noisy all night, as they could 
not lie down — I am much better pleas'd with Mr & 
Mrs Smith, than I was before- He is a lawyer- & I 
believe knows more, than I at first suspected — He 
is a great talker, & has a story for everything- We 
came 14 miles yesterday — To day I am so dread- 
fully lame that every step I take, almost brings 
tears- my feet are sore with walking- 

Nov-24- Friday morn- Turtle Creek-Penn- 

One misfortune follows another, and I fear we 
shall never reach our journey's end — Yesterday 
we came about 3 miles — After coming down an 
awful hill, we were oblig'd to cross a creek; but 
before we quite came to it, the horses got mired, & 

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A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

we expected every moment one of them would die- 
but Erastus held his head out of water, while M"" W- 
was attempting to unharness them, & M^s W- & 
Susan were on the bank, calling for help — I sat by, 
to see the horse breathe his last; but was happily 
disappointed in my expectation — No assistance 
could be got- till Mr W- waded though the water, 
& then 2 men with 3 horses came over — We came 
to this Inn, & Mr W- thought it best to stay till this 
morning- All our company have gone on- M^ Smith 
invited me to ride with his wife, on to Pitts's- & I on 
some accounts, wish I had accepted his invitation- 
indeed I could scarcely get beside it — 

We found a gentleman (Doctor I presume by his 
looks-) here, who was very sociable & staid an hour 
with us- He appear'd to be a man of good informa- 
tion & considerable politeness — We found the land- 
lord very good natur'd & obliging, & his wife directly 
the contrary — We find the men generally, much 
more so than their wives — We are 12 miles from 

Pitt & here like to be- The landlord offers to 

keep Susan & me, till spring, & let the old folks go 
on — We got into the slough of Despond yesterday- 
& are now at the foot of the hill Difficulty- which is 
half a mile long- one waggon is already fast in the 
mud on it- & M"" W- is afraid to attempt it him- 
self — I think I will winter here 

Friday eve- 9 miles past Pitts'g- Penn- 

This morning we set out once more & proceeded 4 
miles- It was snowing very fast, & one of our horses 

[57] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

was taken sick & could scarcely get that little dis- 
tance- Mr W- was oblig'd to whip it almost every 
step to keep it from lying down — We could not 
ride at all & stopt at the first tavern we came to — 
We are afraid the horse will die & then what will 
become of us? I am more than ever discour- 
aged- 
Sat- morn- Our horse is better & we are going to 
set out again 

Novbr 26- Saturday night- 3 1-2 miles 

beyond Pittsburg- 

Just as we were getting into the waggon this morn- 
ing, Mr W- found he had left his great coat 4 miles 
back, & went back on foot after it, while we pro- 
ceeded to Pitts- which we reach'd about noon — Mr 
W- came about an hour after — After getting well 
warm, Susan & I were going out to view the town, 
when Mr W- came & hurried us away, as he wished 
to cross the river before night- From the little we 
did see of the town, I was extremely disappointed 
at its appearance- It is not one half as large as I 
suppos'd- but I am unable to give you any account 
of it, from my own observation — It is situated at 
the confluence of the 2 rivers, the Alleghany, & 
Monongahela- The town suffer'd very much by the 
flood- One house floated down the river- its inhabi- 
tants were in the upper part of it calling for assist- 
ance- none could be render'd & what became of them 
I did not learn- I believe it is not known- It was 
late before we could cross the river (Alleghany) & 

[58] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

we came on but 3 miles & a halt to a very good 
tavern- The man &: his wife are both good natur'd — 
We found the road to day, better than for a long 
time — We left almost all the stones when we cross'd 
the last mountain- & to day I believe we have cross'd 
the last hills of any consequence- We are now- "on 

the banks of the pleasant Ohio" 

Sunday eve- It has been all day & still is, raining 
another flood I fear- All the men in the neighbor- 
hood came here to keep the sabbath by drinking 
whiskey &c &c- but no swearing — I sat reading 
very quietly & one of them came & desir'd to look 
over me- I very much doubted whether he could 
read, but he convinc'd me he could by his observa- 
tions, which were given with such a tobacco breath 
as almost suffocated me- He was not more than half 
shaved, & could read without spelling more than 
half the words- for he would read a page & half in 
an hour, nearly — There is a sweet little boy here 
about 3 years old- He has been writing with me 
some time & talks so much to me that I am as slow 
writing as this man was reading — This is the 6th 
sabbath since I left you — We have lost our com- 
pany — I quite want to see some of them again — 

Wednesday Nov- 28-7 miles from 

Greersburg-Penn- 

I have had no opporty of writing you for 3 days- 
before now- We set out in the rain on Monday, & 
came on 13 miles- to a hut- with a sign up calTd a 
tavern- & such a place !- T found the people belong'd 

[59] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

to a very ancient & noble family- They were first & 
second cousins to his Satanic Majesty- I could but 
wonder that he should suffer them to lead so labori- 
ous a life, for they are among his most faithful 
friends & subjects — Probably they are more useful 
to him in that station, by increasing the number of 
his subjects — Their dwelling resembles that of their 
royal cousin- for it is very dark & gloomy & only 
lighted by a great fire- No one who is once caught 
in it, ever wishes to be again — The man is only 
related by marriage to his lordship 

Wednesday eve — 

The house had only one room in it — There was 
a number of travellers & we got but one bed- that 
was straw or something harder- The pillow case had 
been on 5 or 6 years I reckon, so I pin'd over my 
handkerchief- & put night gown over my frock — 
We rose an hour before day break, got breakfast & 
set out in the snow for another hut- We rode several 
miles on the Northern bank of the Ohio- We saw 
a very large rock containing a great many names- 
we added ours to the number — The road was at the 
foot of a very high hill or mountain, & so near the 
river, there was scarcely room for a waggon- I rode 
in constant fear, for the bank down to the river, was 
very high and steep — We came on 12 miles, to 
Beaver town, on Tuesday- We cross'd the big 
Beaver, a stream which empties into the Ohio- It is 
generally, fordable, but is at present so rais'd by the 
rain, that a flat is used — We found a very good Inn 

[60] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

at Beaver town; & soon after supper, Judge Austin 
& a Mr Weatherby (Merchant-) of Warren, came 
In — Not Dobson nor Stephenson) — I felt as glad 
to see them & as well acquainted with them in a few 
minutes, as if we had all our lives been neighbors — 
[he Judge, resembles D^" Goodsel in his looks;- but 
is older & larger- M^ Weatherby looks like T. Dev- 
ereaux — They both, told me they were sorry M"" 
Edwards did not know I was on the road, that he 
might have sent an horse after me — They were on 
their way to Pitts but Judge A, had some idea of 
returning Immediately back to Warren, & they had 
a mind to hire a horse & have me return with him, 
but Mr Wolcott objected — I can guess his reason 
for it, but I will not write it — I very much wish'd it, 
as I fear I shall be oblig'd to walk a good part of the 
way- Mr W- says it would not hurt any of us to 
walk 9 miles every day of our lives- I told him I 
should not like to walk It In stormy weather, as we 
are now oblig'd to; but he said it would not hurt 
me If I shouldn't — I have already worn out my 
boots almost entirely, with walking — Mr W- Is a 
very strange man- I don't know what to make of him 
— I shall be so thankful to get thro'- & then if I am 
caught with a Deacon of any name, again, I shall de- 
serve to suffer — We are within 40 miles of Warren, 
& to be unable to get there under 4 or 5 days, is 
perfectly tantalizing — We came 10 1-2 miles to 
day, & are at a very comfortable Inn, just in the edge 
of Greersburg- We expected to get a little further, 
to Hart's tavern quite In the town ; & there I hop'd 

[61] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

to see Judge Austin again, & I determin'd at any 
rate to accept his offer of getting me a horse, & go 
directly on with him, for I do not intend to walk 
9 miles a day till we get there, if I can help it- even 
if it will not hurt me — I won't take the good dea- 
con's word for that. The horses are really tir'd out 
& out, & every day by the time we get 4 miles they 
will stop & it is extremely difficult to get them on at 
all- but it is so expensive hiring a horse to go on, 
that as long as the waggon alone, can be drawn 3 
or 4 miles a day, it will not be done — but I feel 
provoked, as you will easily see, so I will write no 
more on this subject — I am so anxious to end my 
journey, that I have lost all interest about the coun- 
try I pass through — it snows or rains every day, 
constantly — I think in good weather, the ride from 
Warren to Pittss must be pleasant- If that were at 
present the case, my journal would be as much more 
interesting, as my journey would be pleasanter — I 
am quite tir'd of both, but still so habituated to 
them, that I think it will seem very strange for a 
few days after I end them, (if I live after that time) 
not to run out the waggon as soon as I have eaten 
my breakfast — & not to have my journal in my work- 
bag to fill it up — It is very troublesome I assure 
you — I fear it will be worn out before you get it- it 
is already very dirty, & so badly written you will 
never read half of it — 

Thursday eve- 
10 miles as usual has been our days ride — I have 
[62] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

not walk'd my 9 n^il^s, but I walk'd as much as I 
could- We are in a comfortable house before an 
excellent fire- It Is snowing very fast- 
Saturday- P M- Warren- After so long a time- 
Friday morning we set out early with the hope of 
getting to Youngstown at night & to Warren to 

night, but 4 miles from Y n, the horses were so 

tir'd they would not stir, so we stopt at a private 
house for the night, an hour before sun down- We 
had been in the house but a little time, when Susan 
look'd out & told me she thought there was some 
one after me, & I soon saw M^ Edwards^ 2 
horses- 'T was never so happy I thmk - I ran 
out to meet him- He came in & set a while & just 
at dark we started for Youngstown— M^ t^d- 
wards insisted upon Susan's going with us, so she 
rode behind him, and I rode the single horse- ^\ e 
reach'd Cousin Joseph Woodbridge's about the m.d- 
^l^ of the eve— They got us a good supper 6: gave 
us a bed— Mrs W- is a very pretty woman ( I mean 
pleasing)- They have 3 children, & appear to be 
verv well off, (you understand me) & happy- They 
live in a very comfortable log house, pleasantly sit- 
uated- A cousin in this country, is not to be slighted 
I assure you- I would give more for one in this coun- 
try, than for 20 in old Connecticut- This morning 
Mrs Todd came over to see us, & urg d us to stay & 
spend the day with her- But spite of her solicita- 
tions, we set out for Warren soon alter breakfast- 
My horse was extremely dull & we did not get here 

[63] 



A JOURNEY TO OHIO 

till near 2 oclock — Cousin Louisa was as happy to 
see me as I could wish, & I think I shall be very 
happy & contented — The town is pleasanter than I 
expected- The house better- & the children as fine — 
Cousin has alter'd very little, in any way — I found a 
Mrs Waldo here just going to Connecticut, & lest I 
should not have another opporty, I intend sending 
this by them, without even time to read it over & 
correct it — I avi asham'd of it My dear Elizabeth, 
& were it not for my promise to you, I don't know 
that I should dare to send it — I will write your 
Mama by mail, I have not time for a letter now — 
My very best love to every body — I have a great 
deal more to say, but no more time than just to tell 
you, I am ever 

& most affectiy Yours- 
M V D 



Let no one see this but your own family — 



[64] 



UU! z'i 1912 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




